


More Than Just A Soldier- A 2Dimension Doof Fanfic

by apothecaryofthemind



Category: Phineas and Ferb, Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension
Genre: CanonxOC Paternal bond, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-11-16
Updated: 2016-01-01
Packaged: 2018-05-02 00:34:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,509
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5227094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/apothecaryofthemind/pseuds/apothecaryofthemind
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anne Barlett has always been a dedicated soldier, devoted to her Emperor and to her commander, the great and noble General Fletcher. Hand selected for Emperor Doofenshmirtz's army, Anne devoted herself to protecting and serving her commanders without hesitation.</p>
<p>But when an attempt on Heinz's life cost Anne her arm, she and her Emperor will discover the true nature of their connection- and what it means to care for other people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

 

  "Gunnery-Seargant Barlett, Serial number 6594-02-427?"

   Anne stepped foreward, shoulders squared and at attention. Her service had been underway for the past three years or so. She had been the most dedicated member of Emperor Doofenshmirtz's military since her training had begun, and as such, her commander had paid special attention to her. "Present, sir," she chimed, saluting firmly.

   "You'll be put on personal guard duty for the Emperor today, and accompany him to the press conference this evening." General Fletcher gave a tender smile, resting his hand on her shoulder. "Are you up to the task?"

    "Sir, yes, sir." She stood firm, giving a subtle nod.

    "Dismissed then. You will meed His Magesty downstairs."

          --------

    The city seemed to fly by in the limosine as Anne kept her hands folded, watching out the windows attentively, a small leather book resting in her palms. Heinz, curiosity coming over him, brought his gaze from the papers to his soldier.

 

       {FLASHBACK TIME!!}

   "Excuse me, Fraulein Barlett?"

    "Hm?" A small ginger girl in prison clothes looked up at the man in black, cigarette between her chapped lips. She had bruses and scars about her, and couldn't have been older than 17. "What can I do fer you, sir?"

    A slightly younger Heinz, his eye covered in an eyepatch and cloacked in a black labratory uniform, knelt down to meet her eye. "My name ist Emperor Heinz Ludvig Doofenshmirtz. I am now the ruler of the tri-state-area, and owner of this prison. I have read very much about you, mein kleine kinder. You are strong, full of fire." The older man offered his hand, smiling kindly.

   "How would you like to work for me, mein schatz?"

   The child was startled at first, but the kind gaze of the much older man brought a smile to her features. She took his hand, tossing aside the cigarette.

   "I think that would be a great idea, sir."

            {End Flashback.}

  He still remembered that day. He had watched her train, watched her become the perfect soldier, climbing the ladder with ease. His soldiers.. They all respected G.S. Barlett. And, secretly, so did Heinz. "You've certainly grown into the uniform, Frau Barlett," he remarked.

   With a jolt, the ginger girl found herself flushing softly, green eyes hidden behind her hair. "Thank you, sir. General Fletcher had to have it tailored a bit since I grew to... Fill out a bit better, but I'm proud to wear it nonetheless."

   That suprised Heinz quite a bit. "Proud? To wear the uniform of my soldier?"

    "You saved me from a life in prison, a life of pain. I am eternally grateful." This lead to a still silence, both of them smiling softly the rest of the ride.

            -------

    The crowd seemed captive this afternoon, as always, fawning over His Grace and his every word. Preaching supririority, prosperity, so long as all continued to follow his reign. Cheering and praise would follow, as was law- it was forbidden not to adore the Emperor.

    Anne observed cautiously, gloweing over the crowd with sixteen other guard at her command. Her eyes were like that of a falcon, carefully examining each and every lowly mouse and rabbit in this clearing, searching for the rattlesnake that likely hid within. Nothing. All seemed peaceful. It would have seemed to most that no attempt would be made on His Grace's life toda-

      Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

   That sound... She knew that sound...

       tick tock tick tock tick tock

   It was only getting louder, lurking beneath the stage...There wouldn't be enough time to evacuate, no- but what to do, what to do..

      ticktockticktockticktockticktockticktockticktock-

    "YOUR HIGHNESS, LOOK OUT—" Anne knocked the Emperor clear off the stage and into the arms of the other royal guard, who formed a human shield as the explosion ignited.

    Mass chaos. Those are the only words befitting what ensued. Thousands fleeing with their loved ones, blood and rubble in the center of the square. The blast had been confined to the stage, and the only one on it. Gunnery-Seargant Barlett had taken almost all the damage, save for a few shrapnel that damaged civilians. Harmless injuries, easily repaired.

     But Anne.. Sirens blared, and furious German screams could be heard as a familiar face leaned over her. "It will be alright, Schatz.. You'll live.. I promise.."

\----


	2. Chapter One- Good Little Soldier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anne was lucky enough to survive the blast, but.. Not all of her. The Emperor finds himself deeper and deeper in concern for the girl's well being.

   The cold and colorless walls and furnishings of the infirmary room seemed mildly comforting as sunlight crept through the windows. Anne could feel the warmth of morning on her skin. She looked to her right, and gently carressed the electronic connector outlet installed where her shoulder had once been. The incident continued to replay over and over in her head. The blood, the carnage, the pain.. It was horrifying.

   But.. He was alive. He was safe, alive, unharmed. She had done her job, hadn't she? Protect Emperor Doofenshmirtz at all costs. That was her duty, sworn by blood. And though she lost her arm, the sacrifice was worth it. The soldier took a deep breath and looked to the city outside her window. It looked as ominous, dark, and beautiful as ever.

   The door to her room creaked open, and in the entrance, stood the same dark form that Anne had so solemnly sworn to protect. His eye was cold, hazy, posture firm and hair slicked back. His gaze fell on the soldier before him, and for a moment, one could catch Heinz smiling. Faint and fleeting though it was, it had been there nonetheless. Quietly he approached, hands folded behind the small of his back.

  "Gutt morgen, Gunnery-Seargant Barlett. Some of us were afraid you wouldn't make it. You were out for almost two days."

   The redhead jolted, gripping her abdomen in pain. "Sir! I-I'm sorry you have to see me like this, I-"

   The older man raised his hand, a simple gesture at which Anne fell completely silent. "I have seen far worse, mein kinderlein. Think nothing of it."

   "Sir.."

   The woman's gaze lingered, soulful for a moment, before the autarch sat beside her on the bed. Gently, Doof reached his hand to the clipboard resting beside his soldier's bedside, and carefully examined the writing scratched across the paperwork. "They have you on heavy painkillers. Oxycontin. And.. 35 miligrams of Topirimate?" Brow raised, he looked to the girl with curiosity. "When did you start a regimen of antipsychotics?"

   "Back when I was in prison, sir," she replied softly, rubbing the metal lump replacing her shoulder. "My parents' deaths gave me schizophrenic hallucinations. They put me on it to keep me from killing my cellmates." The two shared a laugh, and Anne rested her hand on her lap. "Hopefully they'll be able to replace my arm. Don't wanna miss too many days of work!" she joked, shaking her head. Heinz placed his hand upon hers, giving a simple smile.

   "You don't have to worry. I've started work on a prosthetic that will replace your arm perfectly."

   Her eyes shot wide. "You? Sir? Y-you're-"

   "Of course I'm constructing your prosthetic, mein Schatz. Who else would I be able to trust with such a task? You are my soldier, und I must attend to mein soldiers with the heart of any good leader, nein?"

   This brought a soft smile to Anne's tired face. "Of course, sir."

   "For now, you should rest. You'll need as much of it as you can get while you're in recovery." A gloved hand brushed the bangs from Anne's face, revealing her brilliant green eyes. Heinz had always found her eyes remarkably lovely. There was no way her mother hadn't been as beautiful. It was a damnable crime, what her father had done to her. 

    A damnable crime indeed.


	3. When You Live For Someone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though Anne's health is ever-improving, a darkness has begine to settle over her mind. Is this simply guilt or fear, or something much more grave burrowing into her psyche?
> 
> Meanwhile, the bond between commander and soldier has begun to evolve into something far more complicated than either Heinz or Anne could ever expect.

   "Careful now, don't overstimulate the nerve processors, take it slow." Heinz gingerly aided his soldier's motion, grasping the prosthetic as they worked together to move it.

    Over the past three weeks, Doof had meticulously worked on completing and installing a fully functioning prosthetic for Anne. The titanium was lightweight enough that it didn't disrupt her balance, and the electronic interface provided simulated nerves, articulation of the limb as well as her hand and fingers, and improved reflexes.

     Unfortunately, this required a lot of physical therapy to get used to.

     Anne attempted to roll her shoulder, but a sharp, piercing pain began to move through her back. " _F-fuck_..."

    "Watch your language," the older teased, hand resting on her back. "I told you, don't overstimulate. You'll hurt yourself." A creeping smile had been tugging at Doof's tired features. He adjusted his eyepatch, biting his lip from the frustration. "I'll need to reprogram a few more things, then one more session and you can come back to work. How's weaning off the medication?"

     "It's not so bad. I mean, it wasn't like they had me on the highest dose." Chortling softly, Anne began disconnecting her prosthetic. "I should be off it all by thursday."

     Quiet fell between them for a tender moment. Anne never thought she'd be spending this much time with His Majesty. It had become an almost daily thing. He even supervised her surgeries- not that Doofencorp's medical staff wasn't completely brilliant.

     No, it was simply that.. For the first time in a long time, he cared. He cared about a person that wasn't General Fletcher. She was hand picked for the army, trained to be the perfect soldier... It was easy to just say Heinz was proud of her, but it was more than that. The fact that she got hurt saving his life.. It made Heinz want to.. Protect her.

     "Sir.. I'm sorry I let you get in danger," the redhead found herself whispering. "If I had found the bomb before your speech, none of this would have happened."

    "Barlett. In case you didn't notice, I'm _completely unharmed._ " The older man furrowed his brow at his subordinate, hands folded on his lap.

    "But you could have been hurt. It was a huge risk. If I had lost focus for even a moment.. You'd be dead."

     Anne pushed the hair from her eyes, rubbing away the tears that lingered. No fear. No emotion. She had to be a soldier. "The tri-state area would be _doomed_ without you. _I_ would be doomed without you."

      A warm hand rested on her shoulder, brushing away the girl's brilliant ginger curls. Heinz gave a tender smile. "That will never happen, Schatz. I promise you."

     "Don't make promises, sir. You're still a _politician_ after all."

      A nurse passed by the room, smiling as she caught the two sharing a laugh. A unique sight indeed, to find such joy in a hospital.


	4. The Bond of Survival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time flows forewars and Anne's guilt still bubbles ever-higher, to the point of physical aggression. Though trust and affection continues to grow between herself and Emperor Doofenshmirtz, one can only wonder if she will be capable of handling the tasks ahead.

    Kick, punch, uppercut, jab, over and over Anne repeated this unwavering rhythm, blow for blow landing every strike with a level of force comprable to Rhonda Rousey. Training was all she ever did off duty anymore. It was all she could think to do. She just wanted to forget it all.

    The sound of fists impacting on leather was echoed through the training room, muffled though it was. With one last forceful blow, she knocked the punching bag clear off its chains. As it skid across the floor, the soldier dragged herself to a bench by the treadmills. Her fingers explored the balljoints and armor of the prosthetic, and an emptiness painted itself over the young woman's eyes.

     How long had it been now? Three months? Four? The days, the weeks were beginning to blurr together since her release from the hospital. Every moment in the field was just another moment, every order the General gave was just another command to carry out. Barlett had completely buried herself in her work.

     She could never let this happen again.

     Her hand traveled up the titanium plating, gingerly brushing the joints, the welding, all of it. When her trembling hand met flesh, she froze.

     The moment the scars met her simple fingertips, Anne felt her chest grow ever-tighter. The screams of the civilians she'd sworn to protect, the fire, the agonizing pain that shot through her body.. Looking up to see the face of her Emperor, her leader, the one man whom had pulled her from the slums of prison into opportunity, into hope..

     The fear in Emperor Doofenshmirtz's eyes had utterly _crushed_ her.

     These visions plagued her mind as the soldier gripped at her own shoulder, blood trickling where her nails had broken the skin. These scars, obscene, cruel, these marks that tainted her alabaster skin.. They served as a reminder that she could never, _EVER_ fail him agai–

     "Mein kinderlein?"

     Heinz, one hand folded politely behind his back, stood beside a weight bench with the manifestation of calm painted on his features. Behind the deception of his collected poise, a faint hint of concern shimmered behind his eye. "I apologize for.. _Intruding_ , Frau Barlett, but I had heard you were down here. An odd place to spend your time off duty, isn't it?"

     An apology.. That was not something Emperor Doofenshmirtz was known to give.

    " _Sir_ -!" She went to stand, but the older man raised his palm- a jesture that it was not necessary. Lowering back to the bench, Anne cleared her throat. "Y-Your Eminence, I-"

    "Achtung, achtung. There is no need to explain yourself to me." The Autocrat approached, taking a seat beside his prized soldier.

    There was a long silence, the two hesitating to speak, to look eachother in the eye. But then gingerly, with a burning hesitation, the older man cupped his hands gently around those of his Lieutenant.

     "I never... I never properly thanked you for saving mein life, Lieutenant." His grip tightened, voice barely above a whisper. "It was a noble thing to do, I am eternally grateful."

    "Boss, it was nothing. Any soldier who truly lived for the cause would have done the same exact thing. We swore to protect you. That's what I'm gonna do."

     Her voice was so matter-of-fact, her words so blunt. Sacrificing oneself in the name of a greater cause was the duty of a soldier.

     But Heinz wouldn't have it. "Anne, mein schöne kinderlein... You saved my _life_ , I don't think you understand what that means to me." Clearing his throat, the man stiffened, gripping Anne's hands ever tighter. "So, to thank you.. I am promoting you to Captain of the Royal Guard."

      Her pupils shrank to the size of a pencil tip, posture rigid from shock. "But S-Sir, I-"

      "I insist, Frau Barlett. I will not be taking no for an answer."

      The silence returned, but under it was now a sense of.. Was this joy? How long hat it been since either of them had felt like this? Years, most definitely. Smiles crept across their faces, and somehow.. Somehow, by some chance, the young woman found herself embracing her commander, her dictator, her leader. Doofenshmirtz, though flustered at first, would allow a genuine smile to grace his features, gently stroking the young woman's thick red curls.

       He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he rather enjoyed such a tender embrace. It was nice to feel.. Appreciated.

        _Maybe even loved._


End file.
